When Joe Milton III met with his agency after his rookie season, one issue stood out clearly. The quarterback pointed to the limited reps he received in his first year as the main reason he wanted out of New England. Fast forward to now, and after wrapping up his second NFL season, Milton has opened up in more detail about what went wrong and why he ultimately “felt disrespected” during his lone season with the Patriots under head coach Jerod Mayo.

“How I play the game is how I practice. Like, my shoelace is not tired. I’m running over y’all defense, I’m throwing the ball over your head,” Milton explained. “It got to the point with the Patriots, I’ll be honest, it got to the point where I threw a deep ball to be left over (Christian Gonzalez) and while the ball was in the air, I was turning around looking at (then-head coach Jerod) Mayo, Eliot (Wolf) was right there and they couldn’t do nothing but just look at the ball and the ball got completed and he scored – scout team receiver scored. And they just shook their head. It got to that point.”

Milton entered the NFL after spending six college seasons split between Michigan and Tennessee. Following his final year at Tennessee, New England selected him in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, with Mayo taking over as head coach. But even before Milton arrived, the quarterback room was crowded. The Patriots had already signed veteran Jacoby Brissett to a one-year deal. And they had used the third overall pick on Drake Maye.

As the season unfolded, Brissett was named the starter, Maye served as the backup, and Milton was relegated to the emergency quarterback role. The situation became more frustrating when Milton began receiving fewer practice reps. Even after Brissett struggled to a 1–4 start and Maye took over as QB1, New England still didn’t elevate Milton. Instead, Brissett remained Maye’s backup, a decision that didn’t sit well with Milton.

“I think it would have been different if when Jacoby was a starter, Drake was the backup. I was the emergency quarterback,” he added, when asked if it would have been different if Jerod Mayo had talked about it. “When you move Drake up to start, what should Jacoby now do? You keep him at the two because he’s a vet, but he’s not taking reps. It’s just me and Drake, the only ones practicing, but he’s still the two. I just felt disrespected.”

After 17 turbulent weeks, Milton finally got his opportunity in the season finale against the Buffalo Bills. He made the most of it, completing 22 of 29 passes for 241 yards and a touchdown in a 23–16 win. Still, the bigger picture hadn’t changed. The Patriots chose to build their offense around Maye as the franchise quarterback. That decision for New England, though, has since paid off, with the Patriots now reaching the Super Bowl.

For Milton, however, the frustration lingered. He felt overlooked by Mayo and Eliot Wolf despite his practices mirroring his playing style: fast and physical. In the end, the message was clear. Milton wasn’t part of the long-term plan, and he moved on, signing with the Dallas Cowboys ahead of the 2025 season.

In Dallas, Joe Milton III got what he wanted with the Patriots

Even though his lone regular-season appearance with the Patriots during his rookie year drew positive reviews, Joe Milton III had already made up his mind. The 25-year-old quarterback knew he wanted a fresh start elsewhere. That opportunity came when New England traded him to the Cowboys ahead of the 2025 season in exchange for a fifth-round pick. It was a move that initially caught Milton off guard but ultimately turned into a blessing.

“Was I surprised? Yes. I kind of woke up around, like, 7 o’clock, to a call and I knew I was getting traded,” Milton said last year before adding how this trade was a blessing. “Coming here was a blessing. I didn’t know it was going to be here. I didn’t know where I was going to end up. I was just thankful to go to work. [But now I’m] back in the heat, for one. He allowed me to play in the dome, for two. And, three, it’s America’s team. Also, it’s just great to learn from someone like Dak [Prescott].”

Joe Milton at the Cowboys’ training camp. Credit: Instagram @joemilton5

During his time in New England, Milton never wanted to remain buried on the depth chart. That mindset naturally invited some skepticism, given the Patriots’ long-standing team-first philosophy (one that traces back to the Bill Belichick era). However, Milton ultimately found the opportunity he was looking for in Dallas.

The Cowboys named him Dak Prescott’s backup for the 2025 season. Although he didn’t make a start, Milton still saw meaningful action. He appeared in four games, throwing for 183 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. The numbers weren’t eye-popping, but they represented more opportunity than he received in New England. As for what 2026 holds, that answer will come into focus in the months ahead.

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